Agfa Graphics to demonstrate wide format power at FESPA

The continued growth of Agfa Graphics’ presence across all inkjet applications is being demonstrated at this year’s FESPA Digital in Barcelona with a strong range of the company’s wide-format platforms. The top selling UV-curable :Anapurna M2050 is complemented by the :Anapurna 2540 FB which is making its first appearance at an international exhibition. The :Jeti family is represented by the :Jeti 3324 Aquajet Pro direct-to-textile printer and the :Jeti 3020 Titan high-speed system.

Live demonstrations will run on all these platforms, endorsing Agfa Graphics' broad portfolio that appeals to sign-makers, display producers and PSPs wanting reliable, productive and cost-effective solutions for rigid and flexible applications.

In addition there will be showcase presentations of Agfa Graphics' high-end :M-Press Leopard, with its new three-quarters automation option, and the fully automatic :M-Press Tiger industrial flat-bed presses. Both offer a true digital alternative to industrial multi-color screen-printing with the same economical efficiency,not only for short run but also for medium and higher volume applications.

“At this year’s FESPA Digital we are taking the challenge by demonstrating a choice of solutions from ourmost complete range in wide-format inkjet,” states Ingrid Merckx, COO for inkjet at Agfa Graphics. “Next to the :Jeti Aquajet Pro for industrial textile markets that we are showing, we maintain a strong focus potential on the professional UV-curable print solutions."

:Anapurna series

The 2.05m :Anapurna M2050 has quickly become a best seller as a highly cost-effective platform for users producing top quality graphics. Its reliability and excellent quality of output have made it the popular entry-level machine for businesses wanting to benefit from the capabilities of UV-curable output and the ability to print direct to 2 x 3m rigid and 2m wide flexible materials.

Making its debut at an international trade event, the 2.54 x 1.54m :Anapurna M2540 FB is a dedicated flat-bed solution in a photo quality engine. It features six colors plus white, and ensures highly durable prints with excellent adhesion on a multitude of substrates. Thanks to the revolutionary bed design and a configuration to enhance accurate and reliable dot placement, the :Anapurna M2540 FB features throughput speeds of up to 45 m2/hour. The bed is complemented by a two-table vacuum zone, which each have four different compartments, making it ideal for smaller step-and-repeat and nested applications. Double-sided printing is simplified with the use of its eleven retractable register pins to provide perfect alignment and positioning on both sides of the bed.

As with all :Anapurna platforms, the two machines being demonstrated at FESPA Digital feature the company’s dedicated UV-curable inks which are formulated to provide strong adhesion and long lasting images. The white ink can be applied as a pre- or post-print option or as a spot color to highlight specific image areas.

:Jeti family

The two :Jeti wide-format printers on show include the six-color :Jeti 3324 Aquajet Pro aqueous-based textile printer which features the latest generation disperse inks to produce output onto any polyester-based fabric.The inline infra-red fixation system ensures vibrant, brilliant and durable results which are fade and wash resistant. This 3.2m engine has throughput speeds of up to 65 m2/hour and a true resolution of 400 dpi. Included are a rewind/take up unit, a roll lifter, in-line slitters and a vapour extraction filtration system. Its bevelled media rollers are designed to provide accurate registration for all materials.

The second :Jeti machine to be demonstrated by Agfa Graphics is the :Jeti 3020 Titan FTR which is a combination flat-bed and flat-to-roll engine which offers users high-speed production in a versatile, upgradeable 3.2m platform. This wide-format printer is designed to combine very fast throughput with a variety of ink configurations, including white. The Agfa :Jeti 3020 Titan has several levels of upgradeability so that users can increase their speed and output capabilities at a time to suit their business growth, without having to invest a new printer. At the show is the high-speed-with-white version with 32 color heads and 4 heads for white.

:M-Press showcase

Running showcases on Agfa Graphics' stand for the :M-Press Tiger and :M-Press Leopard will include full details of the new three-quarters automation feature for the :M-Press Leopard with presentations of both these high-end platforms working in an industrial production environment. The :M-Presses are capable of taking on the full run-length of screen-print. The mathematics speak for themselves as the proven ink consumption on an M-Press is below 5 ml/m2 on average. This is about three to four times lower than with conventional screen-printing (and well below other digital systems in the segment). As a consequence, the variable cost of print with the :M-Press is the same or better than in screen-print.

Thanks to the high speed of :M-Press, the automation and the 48 to 55 zoned vacuum beds, the effective speed on the floor speed equates with the throughput of most multi-color screen-print engines. With the same or lower investment level compared to analogue machines, the fixed costs are equal or lower for the :M-Press because there is no screen making and cleaning phase.

Agfa Graphics is on stand K40 at Fespa Digital 2012 from 21 to 24 February 2012.

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Large Format Review provides daily breaking news on digital print technology as used for commercial production of print for wide-format sign and display, packaging and industrial applications. We also cover 3D print and additive manufacturing.